Alina.
I stepped a fraction to the side, less in front of Elias than where I happened to be heading anyway. "I don't need a chaperone," I said, too tired for the fight he wanted. "We were practicing."
"What kind of practice," Kael said, and something in the way he said practice made it sound like a threat.
"The kind you're not invited to," Elias said pleasantly, because of course he did.
Kael's jaw twitched. Rowan appeared like gravity liked attention and he was made of it, tipping an invisible hat to our little scene. "Domestic bliss," he said. "If you're going to fight over sunshine, at least sell tickets."
"I'm not—" I started, but Rowan was already smirking at my face like he'd gotten his money's worth.
Lucien's gaze cut across us from the far mat cooly. He didn't join, didn't look amused, but he didn't look away either. That was somehow worse.
